Dr Anna Barnes

Biography

I am currently working as Associate Director for Programme Office Governance at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust within the 3Ts Capital Development; a £485m development of an existing acute hospital site. My role is also to provide Board Assurance, whilst challenging the processes and systems being utilised as part of the programme and to ensure that it meets best practice.

I have had a varied career over the last 28 years working in capital development, regeneration, commissioning, financial turnaround, service redesign and evaluation. Within the health service I have worked in mental health, primary care, acute care and as a commissioner for both health and social services. I have a PhD in Mental Health as I started my career in the voluntary sector working with people who had been resettled from the psychiatric long stay institutions. I am still Chair of Seaview which is a centre for people with complex needs including drug, alcohol problems and homelessness.

My particular interest currently concerns how the health care environment can contribute to the patient experience, both through making the provision of a better place to receive excellent clinical care but also through the message of competence, caring and compassion which is communicated through the design. I am therefore passionate about the importance of incorporating art and local culture in the designs of buildings.